Beet and cotton blocker.



No 849,327. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

G. GARSTENS.

BEET AND COTTON BLOGKBR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4,1906.

2 SHEETS3HEBT 1.

Witnesses I fl @MM No 849,327. PATENTBD APR. 2, 1907. G. GARSTENS.

BBET AND COTTON BLOOKER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4,1906.

SHEETS-SHEET n v M? I.

awuewboz view of the machine.

' mall UNITED STATES CHARLES OARSTENS, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

, BEET AND COTTON BLOCKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed June 4,1906. Serial Nb. 320,211.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARL S OARSTENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and'county of Denver, and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Beet and Cotton Blockers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descri tion of the invention, such as will enable otli to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

M invention relates to improvements in macl iines for blocking or cutting out the superfluous plants of all vegetables that are planted in rows.

- While the apparatus is more especially intended for use with beets and cotton, it may of course be used for blocking plants of all kinds. My improved ap aratus is intended to perform the bloc 'ng function very rapidly. In fact, a single machine may be constructed to block a number of rows at a time. The machine shown in the drawings is intended for blocking four rows every time it is drawn across the field. It is evident, however, that the same principle may be employed and that the machine will be substantially the same for any number of rows.

The invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan Figs. 2 and 3 are sections taken on the line 2 3, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow, but showing the blocking mechanism in two different positions. Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating the clutch-shifting mechanism which automatically throws the machine out of gear every time the blocker-heads are raised from the operative to the inoperative position. Fig. 5 is a erspective-view in detail of one of the gage s oes or plates for regulating the plane of out of the blocker-heads. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of one of the blocker-heads.

The same reference characters indicate the same-parts in all the views. 'Let the numeral 5 designate an axle mounted on ground-wheels 6, which are norloose on the axle. This axle is j our nale in depending bearings 7, carried by the framework 8, which, as shown in the drawers skilled in the art ings, is composed principally of an integral metal bar com rising end members A, extending forwardly from the axle, inwardly 1 extending members B at right angles to the members A, rearwardly-extending members .i C, passing rearwardly beyond the axle, and a g centrally-located member D, connecting the rear extremities of the two members C. At each forward corner of this frame is located an auxiliar frame member E of angular shape, which strengthens the frame and also forms a bearing for the shafts F of the two outside blocker-heads Gr. The frame is further provided with a front member H, connecting the two members B, and two upwardly-curved members I, secured at their extremities to the member H in front and to the member D in the rear. The tongue or draft-pole J of the machine passes between the members I and is held in place by a bolt K, which asses through registering open.- ings formed in the upper central portions of the frame members I and the rear extremity of the tongue.

As shown in the drawin s, there are four blocker-heads G, each macfe fast to the forward extremity of a rotary shaft F. These and are provided at their rear extremities with beveled gears L, meshing with gears M, fast on the axle. The rear extremities of the two inner shafts F are jo'urnaled in a centrally-located frame member N.

Upon the inner extremity of the hub of each ground-wheel 6 is made fast a clutch member 0, adapted to cooperate with an adjacent clutch member P, splined on the axle and having a circumferential groove Q, which is engaged by the forked extremity R of a shifting-lever S, fulcrumed at T. Each clutch member P is normally driven to encoil-spring U, interposed between the member P and the adjacent ame member O. Provision is made for shifting the clutch members P inwardly, whereby they are dispressing the springs U and locking the same in the disengaged position when the blockerheads G are raised to the ino erative position. This is accomplished y means of linksV, pivotally connected, as shown at W, with the shifting-levers S. The inner extremities of these links V are respectively connected at upper and lower points X and Y with a lever Z, fulcrumed at 9 on the frame gagement with-an adjacent clutch O by a engaged fromthe clutch members 0, comshafts are all suitably j ournaled in the frame wheels rotate without moving the blocker devices. 1

Each blocker-head consists of a hub 10 and a number of cutters 12, connectedwith the hub and extending first outwardly at right angles to the shaft F, where they are bent inwardly to form an acute angle at the points 13, whereby the free extremities 14 of the teeth are nearer the axis than the bends or angles 13. By reason of this arrangement the blocking members 15 of the cutter will occupy a horizontal or approximately horizontal positionwhen thrown to the operative position, as indicated in Fig. 3. i

The entire framework is shifted from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 2, or the reverse, by operating a lever 16, fulcrumed on the tongue at 17 and provided with an auxiliary arm 18, which passes underneath a U-shaped metal loop 19, whose lower extremities are connected with the curved frame members I. The operatinglever 16 is provided with the ordinary locking-dog 20, handpiece 21, connecting-rod 22, whereby the dog 20 may be made to engage any desired notch 23 of the quadrant 24.

Forward of the blocking devices the tongue J is provided with the ordinary set of whifiletrees 25, to which the draft-horses are hitched. In driving across the field each horse of the team would travel between the two rows of beets on opposite sides of the tongue or would travel in a path which when rearwardly extended passes between the blocker-heads of each pair when four of these heads are employed.

From the foregoing description the use and operation of my improved machine will be readily understood. When the apparatus is in use, the blocker-heads are in the position indicated in Fig. 3 and the clutch members are thrown into engagement with the cooperating member 6, whereby as the groundwheels rotate as the machine is driven across the field rotary motion is imparted to the blocker-heads by the gearsM and L and the shaft F. As these blocker-heads rotate dur-v ing the forward movement of the machine, each blocking member or cutter 15 will cut out the plants of a row for a spaceequal to the length of the cutter, and before the next cutter of the same head will reach the row ahead of the space cut-by the previous cutter, thus leaving a plant between the two spaces. This is the principle of the machine. Of course it is not supposed that it will be possible to have the action of the machine so after the blocking operation, since it is exeven after my machine has performed its function. All that can be expected of a machine of this kind is to perform the greater part of the blocking or thinning function required in an industry 'of this character. 2

heads are raised and lowered the framework 8 of the machine turns around the axle, since the latter passes. through bearings mounted on the frame. However, since the curved frame members I are connected with the tongue J, it will be understood that the tongue will. be moved slightly during each raising and lowering operation; but this movement of the tongue is so small as not to interfere with the operation of the machine.

To the forward extremity of the frame-v work is attached a number of gageshoes or plates 26, consisting of an upright part 26 and a rearwardly-curved part 26, the lastnamed part being adapted to engage the ground when the blocker-heads are in operative position, (see Fig. 3,) and thus regulate the plane of the cut of the cutter members gage-plates are vertically adjustable, and to this end the upright part 26 is provided with a vertically-disposed slot 26. The gage is secured to the frame of the machine by passing a bolt 26 through this slot and securing it in place by a nut. By reason of this construction the gage may be vertically adjusted at will.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isbination with ground-wheels and an axle upon which the ground-wheels are loosely mounted, of a framework pivotally mounted on the axle, blocker-head shafts journaled in the framework and extending at right angles to the axle, a gearing connection between the axle and the shafts, clutch members splined on the axle and adapted to engage cooperating clutch members carried by the groundwheels, means for shifting the framework on the axle to raise and lower the blocker-heads, and means for automatically connecting and the action of the framework as the latter isso shifted.

2. An apparatus of the class described, the combination of an axle, ground-wheels normally loose thereon and provided with clutch members, other clutch members the machine has advanced sufficiently to l splined on the axle, springs whose normal bring the second cutter, so to speak, slightly tendency is to throw the splined clutch memperfect that single plants only will be'left' during the operation of the machine. These disconnecting the said clutch members by pected that somethinning will be required It will be understood that as the blocker- 1. In a beet and cotton blocker, the com- ,otally mounted on the axle, blocker-head on-the axle to raise the bloc bers into engagement with the clutch mem-.

bers of the ground-wheels, a framework pivshafts journaled in the frame and geared to the axle, means for shifting the framework er-heads, means for automatically disconnecting the splined clutch members from the wheel-clutch'me'mbers by the action of the framework as the latter is so shifted.

combmatlon with ground-wheels and an axle loose on the ground-wheels, the said wheels axle,

3. In apparatus of the class described, the

and means for shifting the splined] clutch members to disconnect them from the wheel clutch members as the framework is moved on the axle'to raise the blocker-heads to the o erative osition, said means comprisi c utch-s inglevers, links connected with t ese levers and trally-located lever with which the inner extremities of the links are connected, said levers beingso arranged that as the portion of the framework forward of the axle is raised, the said lever strikes the tongue and is automatically shifted to pull the links inwardly for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES CARSTE NS.

my signature Witnesses:

A. J. OBRIEN, DENA NELSON.

extending inwardly to-' ward the center of the machine, and a cen- 

